Jim Gaffigan returns for his biggest Australian stand-up tour to date

In terms of modern day comedy, Jim Gaffigan is in a league of his own. Being one of five comedians to sell out Madison Square Garden, Gaffigan, known for The Jim Gaffigan Show, Flight of the Conchords, Portlandia, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Bored to Death, has extended his unique brand of observational humour to also become a best selling author and a Grammy award-winning comedian.
Now branching out yet again, Gaffigan has found himself acting in in his first ever drama film, ‘Chappaquiddick’.
“I love acting,” he reveals, “it’s more so a matter of getting the acting jobs than it is me not wanting to do them.”
Performing alongside actors such as Jason Clarke and Ed Helms, Gaffigan elaborates on the process of ‘Chappaquiddick,’ which marks the first of many acting roles he has been working on recently.
“I don’t think dramatic acting is something unusual for me to pursue, but I do understand if people usually see comedians doing comedy, it is a bit different,” he says, “But it was something that has been a great time for me and I’ve done a couple more [films] and I’ve been loving it.”
With sold out live shows at some of the biggest venues on the planet and iconic film and TV roles including his critically acclaimed sitcom The Jim Gaffigan Show, Gaffigan is one of the most familiar faces in comedy in the world today. Now Gaffigan is about to embark on his second ever tour of Australia (and first run of shows in New Zealand) since his last visit in 2014.
“It’s all new material,” he says. “I hate to specify what the material is because I feel like it sounds relatively boring when you just discuss it.”
Also offering up a warning to Australian audiences, the father of five smiles, “I will warn the Australian and New Zealand audiences that I will probably be more tired than I was last time because my kids are coming with me.”
Being known for having primarily clean comedy, Gaffigan also touched on the fact that he doesn’t feel Australia’s love of cursing impacts his comedy style.
“I live in New York City and it’s not as if I don’t curse in every day life. In my stand-up I might not curse as much as when I’m at a bar at night, but it’s just my style of comedy,” he explains. “I don’t feel as if it necessitates me cursing. A lot of the topics I’m discussing I feel it would be almost dishonest to curse while talking about. I mean no one curses when they are talking about having a nap.
“I’ve performed in Australia before, and that’s not to say that I know or understand everything about the cultures down here, but that is a lot of the fun of it, you figure it out as you go,” he continues. “People that are coming to my shows usually have seen my Netflix specials so people at my shows tend to know my sensibilities.”
With a European tour and a film shoot planned after his tour of Australia, it seems like he will have a busy 2018 ahead of him. Catch him while you can at the Melbourne Town Hall this April.
When & Where: Melbourne Town Hall, Melbourne (as part of Melbourne International Comedy Festival) – April 2. Tickets available via comedyfestival.com.au.

Written by Alex Callan
Image by Eric Levin